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Category: Knitting

by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

Good riddance 2020, roll on 2021, may it be a pleasant and uninteresting year!

Amongst the pre new year clean up, the post Christmas toy playing, the snowball fights, sledging and snow trolls I have managed to squeak in one quick last finished knitted object!

A little mat with a pair of hops on it, using bits of cotton I had on hand. It has three shades of purple for the background as I knew I wouldn’t have had enough to do the whole thing with any one shade.

Here’s a close up of the hops.

But why this knit with this design? Because Engel. I got him a number of empty kegs and a dispenser for his Christmas to make bottling up the homebrew that bit faster and easier. So hops for beer and a mat because the dispenser drips a little after initial use before the pressure settles and it’s all good. Here is it in action:

And that’s really all to say this week. I’ve got a big project on the needles which I am still spinning wool for (spun two this week, need to do the next colour now), a multiple small item project that will be done here and there between projects for probably the whole year, and an idea brewing that I am debating whether or not I should knit it. There is also the very long to knit list that needs working through!

So keep safe till next week!

Wool Count

Starting total – 897

Wool used – 0
Wool bought – 0
Wool given to me – 0
Wool gifted to others – 0
Wool handspun – 0

Total – 897

The wool count has been recent as I do every year, usually I aim to get 100 balls out of stash, which I have done, but stash in was much higher. This year I aim to simply have more out than in, not including handspun, as that is just turning fleece stash into a usable form!

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 1 Comment

Hello all, I hope you have had a fairly nice run up to the end of the year, regardless of what you cekebrate. Christmas here was surprisingly pleasant. I received some bad news at the very start of the morning, but other than that, it went smoothly.

Felix and Inkling are both at that age where they get swept up in Christmas and everything has that magic to it than only exists when you are small and young. And it was infectious. It was exactly what myself and Engel needed.

Because of all the changing rules and regulations, we kept it pretty simple, and have one set of friends over, and they too definitely needed the same dose of Christmas magic from the kids as we did!

It was one of their birthdays just a few days prior, so I knitted him up a little gift, which in my tired and exhausted brain from a last final push at work to complete a hell of a lot of work in a tiny time frame, may have drove my work colleagues mad…

Shark mittens!!! (Free pattern Puppet Mittens by Debbi Parker, there’s a bunch of animals so well worth a look) and because my brain was running on fumes, I did a tiny shark finger puppet.

Baby shark, doo doo de doo…baby shark doo doo de doo…and I have a mummy and daddy shark too so was giggling inanely to myself at my desk in work playing with them and breaking into song when people looked over at me…

I would like to point out that it wasn’t just me who was losing the plot completely, a lot of us where! They just didn’t see the brilliance of the shark mittens and song combined…

In other news, I had a chance to get my spinning wheel out and did a little bit of spinnjng. It had been too long since I managed to indulge myself with it! So one new ball of wool! But I also used a ball in my current project.

I’ll go into more detail in that at a later date, for now, I have festive chaos to return to!

Keep safe everyone!

Wool Count

Starting total – 704

Wool used – 156 (2 this week)
Wool bought – 28
Wool given to me – 318
Wool gifted to others – 8
Wool handspun – 17

Total – 898 

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

Guys and Gills, are you ready for an un-frog-etable end to the wild knitting challenge?

Are you ribbeted to your seats?

I assure you it’s toad-ally worth the awful puns!

Madagascar was the final destination and the final animal of inspiration was the tomato frog. Those who know of the extent of Engels frog phobia will probably be aware of how loudly I cackled when I saw the challenge.

It was very, very loudly.

So, for flamingoes I did cats in flamingo floats, for sharks it was a matching hat and cowl based on shark skin under a microscope, so what to do for tomato frogs?

After a lot of debate, I settled in Engels least favourite option.

A somewhat realistic, but most certainly life sized, replica! I think it’s adorable, it gives Engel the creeps.

But this little guy is going all the way to America, and so he needed a friend for company. But who?

How about a native to the area? Like the American tree frog. But again, fairly realistic and life sized.

Such a cute pair! (Oh, pattern is Green Frog of Happiness by Sara Elizabeth Kellner from her book Knits for Kitties)

These guys are already in the post, as much fun as it is to tease poor Engel about frogs, these were actually genuinely giving him the creeps and to be fair, when caught out of the corner of your eye, they made me wonder for a split moment if the cats had brought a little hopping present home…

(They did that once, Engel has yet to forgive them, and it was about five years ago)

So on this lovely, fun, light hearted note, I bid you all a good week. Until then, take care!

P.S. Apologies for any spelling and/or grammar issues, my ‘editor’ happens to be the same person who has the frog phobia…sorry Engel! And he’s refused to proof read this post – too many frogs!

Wool Count

Starting total – 704

Wool used – 154 (0 this week)
Wool bought – 28
Wool given to me – 318
Wool gifted to others – 8
Wool handspun – 16

Total – 899 (no change)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

O Christmas Wreath I never any to knit another…

Long story short: I don’t like Christmas cards, I feel they are a waste of perfectly good trees, and any parent who has had to try and get their child to write out thirty of the things for all their classmates knows, it’s hell.

So last year I knitted decorations for Felix’s class – there’s no bits of paper that’s just going to get tossed, there’s an actual keepsake, and no pain of writing the things out. Felix remembered and wanted to do it again this year.

And if Felix got it, Inkling wanted it to.

That’s 60 decorations. Ok. That’s doable. Kids settled on wreaths, not the quickest, lots of sewing, but doable.

Oh, wait, because of Covid all cards have to be handed in two weeks early. That’s 60 wreaths in under two weeks. And work has been hell. A couple of projects that due to things beyond my control, have to be done by Christmas. So that’s 60 wreaths, full time job, overtime, weekend work, running a house, looking after two terrors, trying to be full of Christmas spirit…

But on the flip side, I got to use up a lot of little nodes and ends of green which has made a nice dent on the stash, and they look cute, even if I was up until 11:30 the night before they got handed in sewing them all up…

Want to see all 60 ready for school?

Next year, I’m starting in November. Pattern btw is free, it’s Advent Garland 13, Wreath by Frankie Brown – if you haven’t checked out her patterns, I highly recommend it.

Now I’m off to enjoy my Sunday in peace. I have a house to put back together and terrors to entertain, but I’m happy with that!

Till next week, stay safe.

Wool Count

Starting total – 704

Wool used – 154 (3 this week)
Wool bought – 28
Wool given to me – 318
Wool gifted to others – 8
Wool handspun – 16

Total – 899

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

A lot like Christmas, or, as much as it can in my house! The advent stockings are up and full of person specific treats, the stockings are waiting for their gifts to go inside, all the cute handmade decorations cover the house and the tree has made a very early appearance for us.

Every year I make a decoration, to commemorate something about that year. And this year? Well, it could only be one thing:

Yep. The coronavirus. This is made following the free pattern Fearsome coronavirus ball by Tamara Kulikov. Strangely enough, it’s one of the few decorations that could almost pass as an actual Christmas decoration. I mean, it does look like a bauble, just a bit…

There’s been a lot of knitting as I bit off far more than I could chew when agreeing to the kids demands for little decorations for their class mates rather than the horror of trying to make them write out Christmas cards…

I didn’t realise that would mean knitting 60 of the cursed things…at least it’s let me use up 5 small balls of green scraps! Hopefully I will be done by next week and show those off then!

Till then, keep safe!

Wool Count

Starting total – 704

Wool used – 151 (5 this week)
Wool bought – 28
Wool given to me – 318
Wool gifted to others – 8
Wool handspun – 16

Total – 902

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

Yeah, I gave in and made Inkling his own Pokémon hat, and he insisted on Meowth. I tried, so very hard, to get him to pick a host of ones I thought would look far cuter but…no.

Here is the finished hat next to a cuddly toy version of Meowth. I will admit it did come out cute! I made it using my own generic hat pattern and then just winged the rest to give something approximating the proportions and shapes I wanted.

He’s smitten with it, so my job is done! Or at least, I thought it was until Engel informed me that I definitely owe him a few hats and if the kids have Pokémon ones, he wants a Pokémon one too.

I spoke with the kids and in under three seconds it has been agreed that a Snorlax would suit him the best, so keep an eye out for that!

In other news work has been manic, and Christmas is creeping into the house, so much so I gave in and put the tree up today as the terrors had asked for it at least three dozen times…does bring colour to the house! I will share photos of it and this year’s decoration next week once I have rearranged all the decorations once the terrors are in bed…

Till next week, stay safe!

Wool Count

Starting total – 704

Wool used – 146 (4 this week)
Wool bought – 28
Wool given to me – 318
Wool gifted to others – 8
Wool handspun – 16

Total – 907

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 1 Comment

There are many things I have missed since the beginning of the first lock down. The freedom to visit friends. Family. Day trips. Having spur of the moment adventures…

But something I am really missing? Hugs.

Quite a lot of people I know are missing this simple act of human interaction, and it’s something I have wanted to give people quite badly in these times of strangeness and hardship.

But seeing as I can’t give physical hugs, I shall give knitted ones! Nothing will stop me from sharing my hugs to those who need them!

These are based on the free pattern Social Distance Hug by Korri Wass .

Aside from knitting hugs and being sentimental, it’s mainly been work, housework, schoolwork, and Pokémon over here. I have reinstalled Pokémon Go on my phone, to get Pokémon for Felix for her game on the Switch, and now I remember why I got rid of it in the first place…

It’s addictive and eats into my knitting time!

But I…gotta gotta gotta catch ’em all! Gotta catch ’em all, Pokémon!

There’s not much else to say for this week, Christmas is coming but no one is feeling particularly festive here, and I think we all know already it’s going to be a strange one…

Till next week, stay safe!

Wool Count

Starting total – 704

Wool used – 141 (1 this week)
Wool bought – 28
Wool given to me – 318
Wool gifted to others – 8
Wool handspun – 16

Total – 911

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

So this month’s Wildknitting challenge was Australia, the Great Barrier Reef and more specifically, sharks! I opted to do a trade again, and rather than go for the obvious option of a cuddly toy, I decided to have a bit of a play.

First I googled how shark skin looked under a microscope…

And then I looked for a stitch pattern that resembled it, with luck, I found a hat pattern that had the perfect one on it! And free too! Zinnia Dahlia by Petra Hoy – I worked the slipped stitches in a metallic grey and the rest in a soft grey wool to give…

As well as a hat, I did a matching cowl, and to make it extra shark like, added teeth! Here’s the finished result.

I’m pretty happy with the result, and the slipped stitch pattern definitely has potential for a few future projects. But those will be a long time off as I have a very long list of projects to get in with in the mean time!

So until next week, stay safe!

Wool Count

Starting total – 704

Wool used – 140 (1 this week)
Wool bought – 28
Wool given to me – 318
Wool gifted to others – 8
Wool handspun – 16

Total – 912

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 1 Comment

Pokémon mania has spread through the house at an alarming rate thanks to this Switch game. There’s been lengthy discussions of Pokémon evolution, strengths, weaknesses and battle tactics over dinner, and outbreaks of the Pokerap and the classic opening theme throughout the day.

Felix got the game for her birthday, and within a fortnight of her having it, had jumped to the top reading band at school, so aside from the nostalgic elements of the classic 150 Pokémon for us as parents, it has dramatically helped her reading.

As a reward for doing so well at school, I asked if she wanted anything and…she wanted me to knit a new hat. An Eevee hat. So, for those who don’t know what that is:

This adorable little critter which is her starting Pokémon in the game. I couldn’t resist such a cute challenge, and so:

We have the ears on top of the hat and the fluffy ruff is a keyhole scarf attached to the back of the hat! I think it’s ‘super effective’! And to show it on something, here it is on a cuddly toy cthulhu which was the only thing it would fit on that was at hand…

Obviously it is far cuter on Felix! The only issue is, Inkling now wants a Pokémon hat too, but is having problems deciding just which one he wants…

Till next week, stay safe everyone!

Wool Count

Starting total – 704

Wool used – 139 (1 this week)
Wool bought – 28
Wool given to me – 318
Wool gifted to others – 8
Wool handspun – 16

Total – 913

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

(Pun courtesy of Engel)

I received a challenge from my frenemy Ed Skar (watch the ordo redactus at the end of episode two – the last ten minutes – and you’ll understand), and it went like this:

@foxymitts knit me an Escher XD

Not one to back down from a challenge, I begun my research. An Escher in this instance, is not the mathematician and artist, Escher, but a faction in a war game called Necromunda, part of the Warhammer 40K universe/franchise. A friend at work happened to have some source material I could skim through:

so much inspiration, so many ideas, but after much though and discussion, it was paired back to knitting an Escher gangers ‘little sister’. And here she is:

The body is based on the free pattern Babes’ Little Sister by 123fionadolls McDonald (wasn’t the name fitting?!) Oh, and here’s another photo from the other side:

And of course every lady needs a weapon suiting for the fine art of war:

(It was supposed to be a lasgun but came out a heavy stubber- what can I say? (Walk softly and carry a big gun. – Engel) I think girls look cute with oversized weapons! She does also have a more moderate sized dagger tucked into her overskirt)

I think I can safely say challenge complete!

In other news, not much spinning this week, though there are a few knitting things in the works. Crumble is almost entirely back to her old self, just need some more weight on her still, and that’s about all.

Oh. I should mention that last week, due to the current Covid restrictions, my grand plan to have a day trip and meet Rabbie half way were scrapped, and I had a sulk. A big sulk. My first proper sulk since the start of all this chaos. And Engel, bless him, got me a present. 15 miniskeins of the most awesome hand dyed yarn! One is in tropical fish colourways and the other is ‘adventure bike’ colours…which he has batted his eyelashes at in the hopes I will left my sock ban and make him another pair…after mine though!

Wool Count

Starting total – 704

Wool used – 138 (2 this week)
Wool bought – 28
Wool given to me – 318 (Up 15 – thank you though Engel! I love them!!)
Wool gifted to others – 8
Wool handspun – 16

Total – 914 (up 13)

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